


Lions Proving Ground

by Djpj07652



Category: Warhammer 40.000, 黒獣～気高き聖女は白濁に染まる～ | Kuroinu: Kedakaki Seijo wa Hakudaku ni Somaru (Anime)
Genre: Cross-Posted on FanFiction.Net, Female Characters wear actual armor, Shit will hit the fan and hit it hard, Vault is an Asshole
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-21
Updated: 2020-11-24
Packaged: 2021-03-09 17:47:17
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 3
Words: 14,596
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27660218
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Djpj07652/pseuds/Djpj07652
Summary: The Celestial Lions have suffered many tragedies, Will they finally get a lucky break, or will they continue their streak of misfortune
Kudos: 6





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Warhammer or Kuroinu and this is my first fic

**Prologue**

Tragedy after tragedy has befallen our chapter ever since we had spoken against the injustices committed by the Inquisition starting with the needless destruction of a repentant shrine world. We had sent our most senior War leaders and Death Speakers to Holy Terra to bring the Inquisition to justice before the High Lords of Terra themselves… They never made it. Then came the Third war for Armageddon one of our most devastating losses, the entire chapter had been deployed to stem the Ork hoards, our first mission was to destroy inactive Gargants what awaited us was instead several work warbands that had us outnumbered one thousand to one. From overwhelming odds and surprisingly accurate “ork snipers” only a scant few of our members were left standing, we had hoped that we could rebuild but alas none of the apothecaries had survived and the gene-seed of our fallen brothers had been stolen.

We had been disgraced, reduced to such measly numbers with no way to rebuild, but the worst of it was our chapter had been marked for death. We contacted Chaplain Grimaldus of the Black Templars and hero of Helsreach to administer our last rites so we can find a noble end in battle. Instead, he gave a chance at regaining our lost honor, with the support of the black templars and the Imperial guardsmen we were to kill the Ork warlord in the area, even though we had suffered more losses at the hands of the orks we had regained our honor through the valor and martial skill shown by the last living Pride Leader Ekene Dubaku fighting alongside Chaplain Grimaldus had slain the Orkish warlord and with Ekene’s victory he was named our Chapter master and he was gifted with great relics such as Imperial Fist Power armor dating back from the Great Crusade and a Relic Blade sharper than any other as well as a Grand Strike Cruiser that befitted his newfound status named _Blade of the Seventh Son._ With aid from our brothers in both the Black templars and the Emperor’s Spears, we began to rebuild, and we had thought that all the hardships we had faced were finally over… and we were wrong.

A chaos Warband threatened to destroy the last of us and our homeworld and we had no numbers that could stand up the coming invaders, so we ran. Chapter master Dubaku had ordered us to evacuate as many of the planet's residents as we could but we could not save them all and for while the only home we ever knew was burning we had taken refuge with our brothers the Emperor’s Spears. Then came the last tragedy to befall our chapter, the assassination of Ekene Dubaku at the hands of the Inquisition, as if the near destruction of our Chapter wasn’t enough they kill our Hero and greatest warrior he who at our darkest moments stayed strong and led us through so much and he who has fought in Thousands of battles where hundreds of his brothers had died wondering if he was next if he was going to end his duty to the almighty Emperor on the battlefield fighting against the worst the galaxy sent to him… only to fall at the hands of a cowardly assassin while in his very chamber betrayed by those he thought could be trusted.

With the loss of our homeworld and our beloved Chapter Master we had set out to find a new planet to call our own so we can rebuild and settle the displaced residents of our previous homeworld, Our situation is bleak and our short history filled with tragedy and loss, but all we can do now is have faith that the Emperor will guide us in our time of need, for the greatest weapon isn’t a bolter or a las cannon, it is faith, faith in your brothers, in your family, and above all faith in the GOD-EMPEROR!

* * *

Celestine had many dreams that would give hints as to what could happen in the future, but it was never clear just vague flashes of something that only she could understand, but tonight had been the clearest it had ever been.

She was standing on a hill facing a forest and it was night no it was pitch black besides the hill and forest she could hardly see anything and a feeling of dread hung around Celestine that she just couldn’t shake off, She stood there for what felt like hours staring at the forest, the oppressive darkness making it hard to see past the tree line. She blinked for just a second and when she opened her eyes she saw it, what looked like a daemonized version of a hound with jet black fur she could barely see the outline of, but the hateful red eyes that peered into her very soul and when she saw the first one she saw the rest of them. Celestine ran as fast as she could and she heard the hounds running after her, she kept running despite not being able to see where she’s going, despite it sounding like the hounds were right next to her, despite the burning in her chest she kept running. But it was all for naught for she found herself surrounded by these _Black Dogs_ all of them snarling at her and slowly closing in to mock her.

As the dogs closed in to kill her a blinding light appeared in the sky shining directly upon her, and when she looked up, she saw a Golden lion that bore many a scar from numerous battles. The lion had descended from the sky in front of the hounds sneering at them, and the hounds forgot about her as they charged the Lion. As the hounds charged so did the lion slaughtering the dogs almost effortlessly killing them with razor-sharp claws that were shrouded in ethereal energy or crushing them with a single bite.

Just as the lion was finishing off the last of the dogs far more had come, so many were the hounds that Celestine was afraid she would get trampled underfoot by the hoard but they all ignored her and charged the lion with abandon, the lion cared not for the amount it faced it just kept killing, by ripping and tearing and shredding them all, the lions resolve and strength was far greater the numbers the dogs possessed and soon the dogs were no more, leaving only her and the lion. The lion walked up the Celestine and she realized just how massive the creature truly was, before she could do anything the lion spoke to her **“Who art thou but a false idol.”** She couldn’t even get a word out before the lion bite down on her.

Celestine woke with a scream 


	2. A New Champion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A Herald is chosen to lead the world into an age of darkness

**A New Champion**

Celestine awoke with a scream.

Almost immediately multiple knights geared with the sturdiest armor and equipped with the finest weapons ran into her room said weapons drawn ready for any intruders that did not exist, even in her hazy state she recognized them as her personal guard and the retinue of her friend Claudia Levantine _The Dawn Templars_ … “Are you alright your Grace, we came as soon as we heard you” She turned to see one of the knights beside her looking for any injuries she may have had Before she could respond a brunette women that was wearing only a pair of robes to cover her modesty barged into the room sword drawn “Celestine!” the woman shouted in a panic. The women were her friend and bodyguard Claudia and as soon as she saw Celestine she came rushing over “Celestine are you alright?” she turned to the knight beside us “What happened?!” she demanded of the knight.

“I’m okay Claudia” Celestine interjected “nothing happened, it was just a dream” Claudia looked at Celestine with worry on her face before closing her eyes. _*sigh*_ “If you say so your Grace” Claudia turned to the gathered knights “Return to your post, all of you” the knights saluted before walking out of the room leaving only Celestine the Goddess Reborn, and Claudia Levantine General of the Holy Shield Alliance.

As Claudia was about to leave herself Celestine grabbed onto her arm. “Claudia, stay with me a little longer, please” Claudia had never seen her friend so shaken before, so she obliged her request and sat down with her liege.

The two sat in silence for a little while before Claudia asked Celestine a simple question” What did you see?”. It was a simple question, but Celestine found it impossible to give a simple answer, she struggled to give her friend what she wanted to hear, “Nothing good” is all Celestine could give.

Claudia scowled at the answer she had been given, _‘Nothing good, why are you being so damn vague’._ She was broken out of her musing when Celestine gave her a command “Claudia, by dawn's break I want you to send couriers to the shield princesses, All high-ranking commanders of the Shield Alliance, and Vault of the Black Dogs. A meeting needs to be held between all of us” Claudia gave a quick nod before leaving to complete her liege’s command.

As Celestine watched her friend leave, she got up and walked towards the balcony as gazed upon the stars as she thought on the deeper meanings of her vision, if there were any at all, all she knew is that it wasn’t good.

* * *

 _‘Fucking green skins’_ Vault thought bitterly as he cut another orc in half, his giant sword covered in blood and gore and his armor painted red from all the orcs he had slain. His company had been summoned by Her Holiness Celestine Lucross for an important meeting, unfortunately, while taking a short cut to get to Ken faster they ran into an Orc Warband they were currently fighting off.

Vault quickly decapitated one orc before gutting another charging after him. He took a second to look around him, seeing his company mage Kin roasting over a dozen of the orcs with one hand and turning a dozen more into popsicles and his scout leader Hicks braining an orc with his dagger. He swelled with pride as he saw his men fighting against the green tide, not just holding back the orcs but also slaughtering the green Basterds.

“FOR THE BLACK DOGS” Vault bellowed whilst charging the orcs impaling one on his sword. Seeing their leader at the front with them the Black Dogs fought even harder, stabbing the orcs with spears, slashing open wounds with swords, and hacking at orcish limbs with great axes” **FOR THE BLACK DOGS”** the men shouted with renewed vigor. Vault faster and stronger than an ordinary man decapitated three orcs with one swing of his sword and quickly gutted another two, the Black Dogs fought like wild animals killing orc after orc, Quickly the orcs found themselves getting overwhelmed by the veteran mercenary’s.

“TROLL” as soon as Vault heard the shout, he saw over a dozen of his men get launched some 100 feet into the air. The culprit was quite possibly the biggest troll he had ever seen, standing at 38 feet tall shattering the resolve the Black dogs once had.

With the troll bearing down on them the orcs started killing the fleeing black dogs with no mercy. Vault knew he couldn’t kill the troll all alone, thank the goddess the wasn’t, “KIN, blast that ugly fucker with all you got!” Vault shouted, and Kin cool-headed as ever wasted no time by sending out a tidal wave of white-hot fire burning the lesser orcs to crisps and nearly roasting the troll burning off most of its skin leaving charred muscles and blackened bone were the flames hit. But somehow the big bastard refused to die so Vault turned to Hicks and told him “Hicks, shoot out its eyes, blind it” “On it boss” Hicks replied grinning. Hicks grabbed a bow and two arrows notching both and with uncanny precision shot both in the troll’s eyes blinding the creature. Vault wasted no time and charged the now blind troll that was swinging wildly around it, Vault rolled away from a wild swing the troll and swung his sword as hard as he could into the knee of the troll cutting into it half way making it bend backward and break fully from the weight of the troll, making it crash down.

Once the troll was down Vault swung his sword down on its head spilling grey matter all over. The troll was dead, and the battle won and so the Black Dogs cheered while also grieving those who had died this day. Not Vault, for his mind, was set on a different matter _‘We’re gonna be late because of those fucking greenskins’_.

* * *

Vault was not happy, from what you may ask, from losing over three hundred men against the orcs? From having to camp in near supposedly haunted elven ruins? From having to force his men that were supposed to go on leave and finally relax, to instead march for four days because that bitch Celestine told them to for some _“Important meeting”_? Or was it because his cartographer was bitching and moaning at him again? The answer all of the above.

“I told you Vault we shouldn’t have taken this shortcut; it’s haunted I told you! But noooo- “I GET IT HENRY!” Vault interrupted, “I got it the first time you said it, and next one hundred fucking times too so could you please SHUT. THE FUCK.UP!” Vault sat back down while Henry looked anywhere but vault, honestly If he could go just five more minutes without any interruptions any at all, Vault would die a happy man… “Excuse me sir” “WHAT!” Vault all but shouted in the poor lad’s face which turned a rather pale shade, “T-t-there’s an m-messenger for you s-s-sir” the poor lad barely managed to get control of his voice.

Vault regained control of his emotions and told the boy “Bring him in”. The lad ran out of the tent and in came a man who’s wore leather jerkin over a gambeson with a long sword on his side as well and the way he carried himself hinted at a military background. “So, you’re Vault,” the man said in an even tone one might even call bored, “Who do you work for and what do you want?!” Vault demanded; his patience long gone. “I work for Prime Minister Beasley, and he wanted me to give you this” the man held out a letter sealed with the symbol of Feoh, Vault snatched it and tore it open reading through its contents. Once he was done a smirk worked its way onto his face, looks like things are going his way again. “Tell Beasley I’m glad I will have his support for the coming times”. “Gladly,” the man said before leaving the tent. Everything is falling into place and soon Vault will be a King and those Shield Bitches will get what’s coming to them. Oh, how he will enjoy their moans.

It was midnight and Almost all of the Black Dogs were asleep, except Vault, no matter how hard he tried he couldn’t sleep, He kept hearing voices that weren’t there seeing _things_ in the corner of his eyes that he could never catch. Was he going crazy he thought? We walked around the outskirts of the camp to try and put his mind at ease. While he was walking, he saw a woman in a purple dress which clung to her curvaceous form nicely, Her long red hair flowing freely in the wind, He couldn’t see her face, but he knew that she was the most beautiful women he had ever seen, he didn’t know why he knew but he just did, and she would be his.

Vault started to walk towards the woman, but as soon as she was in reaching distance she ran “Hey wait!” Vault shouted, she ran faster than any person should’ve been able to run, but Vault didn’t care and ran after her chasing her for a who knows how long. Vault started to get winded after running for so long and he had to stop to catch his breath. “Mother fucker” Vault said to himself as he could no longer see the woman, but he soon realized another thing, he was in the heart of the elven ruins, Vault wasn’t one that was easily scared but the dilapidated, crumbling ruins filled him with dread, the air smelled pungent and it felt like he was being watched by unseen enemies. All around him the shadows lengthened, and the trees started to warp unnaturally, he had to get out of here. He looked up at the start to try and get his bearings, but there were no stars, it was just an all-consuming void where there should have been stars.

Something was coming out of the void like it was birthing something, Vault couldn’t stop staring at the rifts in the void, he gazed at it wondering if had become insane, his thoughts were broken when the void started staring back at him. “WHAT THE FUCK !?” Vault screamed in a confused panic, tripping on himself he fell backward, but he never took his eyes off the void. Right in the very center of the sky was the human eye staring right at him. Soon more eyes popped out all staring right at him, Vault had never been more terrified in his entire life than right now. There were hundreds of eyes staring right into Vault's very soul. He was wrong, when the eyes started getting closer was the most terrifying moment in Vault's life.

Vault got and ran; he didn’t get far as the ground underneath him gave way and he fell into the darkness below. Screaming all the way down.

* * *

It had been almost a week since her dream, and she darned not to tell anyone, for the plan was far more important. Half of the requested members required to start the meeting have yet to arrive, so those that have gathered waited for their fellows to arrive. While they rested and exchanged greeting with each other. Celestine Dreamed.

She was back on the hill facing the forest, but it was different than before, as Celestine was surrounded by rotting carcasses. Carcasses filled with maggots that wormed their way in the putrid flesh of the was once the hounds. So strong was the smell of rot and death that Celestine couldn’t stop herself from vomiting, and tried to back away but slipped and had come face to face with a half-eaten corpse cut in two but the worst was the face of the corpse for it was perfectly preserved and it looked just like her. I was her Celestine realized, she tried to get up but then she slipped again, and she was further covered in the still-wet blood of both the hounds and her dead body. She wanted to wake up, but she couldn’t, she wanted to scream and wail, but her mouth remained shut.

She looked towards the forest again and she wished she didn’t, she made eye contact with a writhing mass of bodies combining and separating again, until it stopped and stood up. It looked like one of the hounds from her previous dream, but it was far bigger standing up on two legs with one of it’s arms being replaced with a pincer and tentacles with shard barbs all over the creatures bodies, She watched in horror as it sprouted two large wings from it’s back and took flight before diving right at her. She tried to get up but found herself stuck as the rotten, boney hand of her corpse latched onto her, no matter how hard she puller she could never get free. As the daemon came closer, she closed her eyes and hoped for a painless death. A death that didn’t come.

She opened her eyes as she saw the Golden Lion pounced upon the daemon bringing both down onto the earth below. The lion ripping off chunks of the daemon's flesh while is the struggle to shake off the lion when two of the tentacles pierced the lion’s side getting it off the daemon. Celestine watched in shocked awe as the two predators faced each other down, the daemon did not radiate hate like its lesser brothers nor did it look like it was in pain from its injuries but pleased, like both the fight and the pain were pleasing it.

The two started to circle each other, both lion and daemon sizing up the other, who would make the first move Celestine did not know. It was the daemon that charged first whilst the lion stood still waiting for the daemon, to Celestine the daemon was a blur she could hardly see it, and it was already Infront of the lion. The lion had already moved out of the way of the attack moving so fast Celestine thought it had teleported behind the daemon, the lion's claws ripped out half of the tentacles of the daemon and have bitten down on one of the daemons wings ripping it out of the foul creatures back, the daemon screamed in pure ecstasy from the wounds it had gained.

The daemon struck back once again piercing the lion with its remaining tentacles, pushing the lion off once again, and the daemon wasted no time in striking the lion crushing it with its pincer and rending flesh with its jagged claws, with every strike the lion cried out in pain. The daemon picked up the lion with its pincer and threw it into the abyss where Celestine couldn’t see anything. The daemon turned towards her and she felt dread as it rushed towards her the daemon so quick it was already on her pinning her down, she hoped the daemon would kill her quickly so she can stop dreaming. But death never came, Celestine watched in horror as a writhing mass of tentacles formed between the daemons legs and conjoined into a phallic object, “no” Celestine whispered” as the tentacles ripped off any clothing she had on revealing her nude body the void as the daemon prepared to ram its massive member in her “Please, NO” she pleaded as tears welled up in her eyes. The daemon began to push the tip into her before something slammed into the daemon getting it off her.

It was the golden lion, the daemon roared in anger at having been denied the goddess reborn, and before it could use its tentacles to free itself the lion ripped them off with a powerful swing of its claws. The lion continued to claw away at the daemon ripping off large chunks of its hide and flesh, shredding the daemon's guts sending them flying all over the surrounding area. The lion had torn off the daemon’s ribcage revealing its still-beating heart, the lion with a snap of its mighty jaws and a jerk from its neck ripped the heart from the daemon's cheat as well as crushing it whole. Celestine watched as the daemon writhed in agony and pleasure all at once as it began to melt into nothing but a puddle, the lion had won once again.

The lion walked over to her prone form looking over her with disdain, the lion hated her, why it did she didn’t know. “W-wait, please” it pleaded with the lion to no avail. **“Who art thou but a failed protector”** as soon as the lion was done speaking it swiped its claws tearing her guts from her body. She laid there trying and failing to keep her guts from spilling while the lion watched on. She was in so much pain she just wanted it to be over, ”Help please, anyone” she called out for help… but no one came, she knew it was a waste of time but she called for the help anyways and once again nobody came, she started crying as she lay dying a slow and painful death that she could do nothing about with no one to help her. So, she wept while holding her intestine her hands as her body become cold. She died after an hour the lion had gored her openly crying all the while. She finally woke up from the dream. Covered in sweat, tears, and her own vomit she was awake.

And her screams of pain awoke the entire palace.

* * *

Vault woke up, he felt sore all over his body and he had a bitch of a headache. He got up and looks around, it looked like he was in a cave he looked up, and from what he could tell it was still night. He looked forward towards the cave and with his mind made up he walked forward into the cave. Vault walked for who knows how long he stumbled into an opening in the cave, for the most part, it would have been unremarkable except for the Pyramid in the center. There was something at the top of the pyramid that was calling Vault, he didn’t know what was at the top, but it called to him, like a long-lost piece of himself.

So, he started to walk towards the pyramid, closing the distance between him and the thing at the top that he needed. When he reached the pyramid, he wanted whatever was on the pyramid to be his even more, with every step he climbed the want for it grew even more, until he reached what he had desired. It was a two-handed chrome sword stuck into the pyramid not as big as the one he had, but there was something special about it he just knew that there was, but the most eye-catching part of the sword was the red gemstone that was placed in the center of the crossguard, and the gem and been engraved with an eight-pointed star. Vault laid his hand on the hilt and he felt good, He needed more so with both hands he grasped the sword hilt and pulled with all his strength. Little by little the sword came out and with each pull Vault felt stronger.

With a final heave he pulled the sword out completely and when the task was said and done Vault had heard whispers all around him, but no one was there. Then like lighting his eyes had been opened, and for the first time in Vaults life he could see clearly, The Primordial Truth had been revealed to him, and he could see those with who he had gained the interest of. The Gods of Chaos, The Changer of Ways, and The Dark prince had taken note of him, _HIS AMBITION_. His ambition is so righteous that even the GODS are on his side. Vault started laughing as the sword in his hands glowed a mixture of blue and purple before two symbols were burned on either side of the gem. The Symbol of Tzeentch Lord of Change on one side and on the other the Symbol of Slaanesh The Prince of Pleasure. Vault won’t let down the great and powerful gods that have made him their champion, now with the support of the Gods, Vault will bring this world to its knees same with any women that reside in it. Vault walked out of the cave in triumph as everything was going his way.

When he returned it was dawn and he gathered all his men to tell them the good news. Once they had gathered, they stared expectantly at him wondering why they were gathered. “You may be wondering as to why I gathered you here” as Vault said this the mercenaries started murmuring among themselves unsure. “The reason as to why deals with the plan and its future” as Vault said this many had stopped and looked at him. “The plan to rid of the overthrow the Seven shields are progressing even better than we could have ever hoped” With that, some cheers were heard into the crowd. “That whore Celestine claims godhood but she was never truly divine, for you see I have been Approached by the True Gods!” as Vault said this, he pulled out the chrome sword enamoring all those gathered. “ This sword is a gift given to me and as such, they have named me their champion to carry out their will on this world, BEHOLD” as vault said this he swung the sword, and as soon as he did the Symbols and Tzeentch and Slaanesh Appeared in the sky above the mercenaries awing them. “Tzeentch changer of ways and Slaanesh Lord of Excess has blessed our just cause, with their support we shall rule a world where men are kings and women do whatever we what with them! Give thanks to these all-powerful gods who had graced us with their blessing” The crowd started to cheer, and some had begun to scream praises for the two Gods of chaos. Vault looked on in satisfaction as he saw devotion for the true gods spreading through them, He will be their Shepard. “AND WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO THOSE WHO OPPOSE THE GODS!” Vault shouted **“DEATH”** replied the gathered crowd now thoroughly convinced of their allegiance to Chaos. Before the crowd grew more ecstatic Vault help up his hands to silence them.

After a while, the Black Dogs calmed down and looked towards their leader and prophet “We still have to be patient, the time to strike is not now but don’t be dismayed as it will come soon I promise you that” the gathered mercenaries all looked hopefully at Vault.

“FOR TZEENTCH” Vault shouted as he raised his left arm.

 **“FOR TZEENTCH”** the black dogs shouted back

“FOR SLAANESH” Vault shouted as he raised his right arm.

 **“FOR SLAANESH”** the black dogs shouted with great zealous

“FOR THE KUROINU EMPIRE”

**“YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAH”**

_‘all according to plan’_ Vault thought as he praised the two gods that will see his ambitions through.


	3. The Gathering Storm

**The Gathering Storm**

With Vault having finally arrived the meeting could now begin. Although many presents had pleaded with Celestine to rest and recover from her traumatic nightmare, she ignored these pleas and had carried on as she could ill afford to miss the meeting the was about to take place. Ever since her nightmare involving the Golden Lion, she had had more visions, these were much more like her normal ones than her two nightmares. In every vision, she saw four symbols she had never seen before followed by an eight-pointed star, giant warriors covered in bulky armor fighting an unseen opponent, and finally, a black fortress crumbling down. 

Celestine wore pure white robes made of the finest silk, that covered her modesty completely as well as accentuated her divinity to those that saw her, Dark circles formed under her eyes from lack of sleep due in part to her recent visions, her hair a mess from the lack of care, if one were to see her in such a state few would see a divine figure to be worshipped.

Next to the Goddess reborn was her loyal friend Claudia, the shield of Geofu, Claudia wore a full plate mail armor of elven make, Giving superior protection as well as being far lighter than average steel plate, the armor had been a gift from Celestine to serve as a badge of office as her personal guard, Claudia’s expression stoic as she surveyed the room for potential threats.

Then there was Alicia Arcturus shield and heir of Feoh as well as the leader of the Knights of Iris, her expression trying to emulate Claudia but her purple eyes glanced at Celestin filled with worry over Celestine’s wellbeing, her armor consisted of white plates with a gold trim that covered her arms and legs, A tabard with the symbol of Feoh embroidered on it worn over chainmail protected her chest, the tabard connected to what she referred to as a battle skirt worn over her hips.

Next to Alicia was her cousin Prim Fiore shield of Feoh’s sister city Ur, Prim looked out of place in the room what with her gentle features and kind demeanor, She would sometimes look at the goddess with concern written on her face, Prim wore a beautiful white dress with gold trimmings with a pink skirt with two red ribbons at the front. 

The childlike shield of Rad Luu Luu looked out of place what with her diminutive size, but underestimating a halfling was a fatal mistake as she was twice as strong as an average human, she wore a goofy grin on which wore on her face, but occasionally her eyes looked at the goddess and her smile faltered for just a bit, along with green beret on top of her head with a green cape worn over hiding armor. 

The women with a laid-back smirk on her face that belied the concern she felt for the high queen of the Alliance, was the self-proclaimed mercenary Queen and shield of Ansur, She wore a studded leather jacket over a gambeson that granted her the agility she needed to fight effectively, purple leggings that showed off her shapely thighs were tucked into well-worn boots.

Kaguya shield of Thorn and Head Shrine maiden wore a blank expression as she normally did but the shrine maidens eyes settled on Celestine, Kaguya wore a red hakama underneath a white kosode, the traditional garb of a shrine maiden.

Opposite of the Shield Princesses were the highest-ranking Military Commanders of the Alliance. The most senior member being Lord Inquisitor and Royal spymaster Nicholaus Jacquinot, behind his weathered features and frail appearance, was a ruthless tactician and a skilled warrior cleric, his face at least what could be seen, was a stone mask that betrayed little emotion, he like Claudia scanned the room for any threats that may reveal themselves, a thick red robe with the inner part of the robe having golden highlights, He wore a hood over his head hiding the upper part of his face revealing only his mouth.

Baron Roland Stadler a middle-aged mand whose normally jovial features were set in a frown mixed with Hazel eyes that shown with worry his frown hidden behind his well-groomed beard, his greying hair slicked back, Baron Stadler was the second in command of the Grand army of the Alliance, he wore a finely pressed blue military uniform with polished boots and his signet ring worn on his left hand.

Next to the Baron was Sir Konstantin Reisinger a man in his early thirties who came from low birth much like Maia and earned his Knighthood from valor shown on the battlefield, he was responsible for the logistical aspects of the Alliance military making sure it was running smoothly, he wore a mail hauberk with steel gauntlets as well as a pair of mail trousers that connected to Steel boots, his clean-shaven face set in barely noticeable worry as he looked at Celestine, his jet black hair was long reaching his chin, his eyes also jet black a rare trait found among few. 

Then there was Marshall Michael Pantielle eldest son of the legendary house of Pantielle as well as the youngest Field Marshal in Alliance history only at twenty-five years of age, what he lacked in experience he made up for in raw tactical and martial talent he had combined with the intense training from his father Mikhail Pantielle as well as his mentors Baron Stadler and Sir Reisinger, Michael wore a brigandine with steel plate protecting his arms and legs, blond hair inherited from his father in a crewcut style, his face did not show it but his eyes revealed his concern at the state the Goddess reborn was in.

And then there was Vault leader of the Black Dogs the largest Mercenary Company in Eostia, Celestine narrowed her eyes just a tad as she looked at Vault out of the entire room he was the only one to not show any concern towards the Goddess he just sat there a cocky grin on his face, Vault also looked… different somehow, his face just a bit more angular, his eyes a little wilder, his teeth a little sharper, and he was taller too, only by half an inch but the change was still noticeable. 

It may have been paranoia, but Celestine was growing distrustful of the Black Dogs and their Leader. In her first dream, she was assailed by daemonic hounds with black fur that bared an eerily similar appearance to the symbol of the Black Dogs, then there was the name itself Black Dogs ‘It can’t be a coincidence’ Celestine thought to herself. ‘Maybe I’m being paranoid’ she thought to herself again, ‘but it won’t hurt to be sure’. 

Celestine rose from her throne and took another look around the room before speaking to those assembled. “Who may be wondering why I had called all of you here” she looked at the expressions of those gathered and saw that she had their attention, ‘Good’, “The time to strike at Garen is now” 

* * *

Vault couldn’t have planned it better, the Goddesses blessing to advance on the Black Fort just fell into his lap, he hadn’t gained it yet, but the false idol gave them time to come up with strategies on how to take the fortress. As the others were discussing as to who would lead the expedition to Garen Vault wasted no time on volunteering himself and his company to make up the bulk of the force to be sent. His grin widened when Celestine accepted his request to lead the forces being sent to Garen.” But” his grin almost fell off his face, but he kept it on ‘Patience’ he reminded himself, “An additional 350 Alliance soldiers and 25 Dawn templars will accompany you and your mercenaries to Garen, as well as 20 clerics and 10 paladins from the Inquisition”.

Inwardly Vault cursed, but he kept up his cocky façade, he will have to deal with the additional soldiers once they took the fortress, ‘No need to rush things, just go with the plan’ Vault reminded himself everything will work out so long as he has faith in the gods.

“Now does anyone else wish to speak before we proceed?” Celestine asked and waited for a moment and a new voice spoke up it was Alicia that pampered brat Beasley was after, “Yes your Holiness, I would like to volunteer an additional 25 Knights of Iris for the expedition”.

Vault could feel his grin start to return, ‘The Knights of Iris, a beautiful bunch’ he thought, the exclusively female order of knights were skilled warriors he would admit, but once he had the Black Fortress he would let his men rape the Knights to their heart's content.

Things have been going even better than he would have thought, especially with the support of the other two true gods.  
Khorne The Blood God and Grandfather Nurgle  
*Flashback to Yesterday*  
As the black Dogs neared Ken night had fallen, Henry had estimated that they would arrive tomorrow, that was fine with Vault it gave him more time to spread the word of the true gods. But before that could happen, he had to get back to the sword.

Once again it called it him, he had to get to it.

He had locked it into an iron chest, locked so tight not even Hicks could open it. The closer he got the louder the whispers became louder practically becoming screams. 

He opened the chest to look at the shining sword, instead of Blue and purple like last time, it now glowed a mixture of sickly green and a blood red. 

He picked up the sword once more and his mind was filled with more forbidden knowledge of the Lord of Decay Nurgle and the Lord of Skull Khorne. He now knew the full pantheon of Chaos the true gods of all and once he enacted his plans their gifts will soon come to him and his men. But for now, he will wait.

On the Sword, two more symbols appeared the Marks of Nurgle and Khorne. As the marks were added to the sword as it began to change, it grew larger, its edge began to glow orange as Vault could feel heat radiate off the blade, what was once chrome began to blacken all as the gemstone on the sword's hilt began to glow, lighting up the tent he was in.

Then the changes stopped as Vault took in the sword in his hand, ‘It's perfect’ the thought ran through his mind as he looked over the sword, It was sharper than any other sword Vault had seen, its blackened metal had multiple rings coming from the edge forming together at the center of the sword, he realized that the sword had been damascened he realized, not only that but it was also perfectly balanced. Another Gift from the Gods he realized he shall sing a thousand praises towards them when Eostia would be under his rule.

When dawn broke, he told his men of Khorne and Nurgle finishing the pantheon of Chaos on the feudal world which will soon be His, all thanks to the four gods of chaos. Before his men left for Ken, he chose six disciples to spread the word of the True Gods to the other Black Dog companies as well as for them to wait for his order to march to the Black Fortress of Garen. Everything is falling into place, soon it will all be his.

* * *

Olga could feel her power starting to wane, she did not know why, but she did know it was happening. She was not the only one to feel it, the monsters under her command started to become harder to control, her dark elf soldiers became far more protective of her even without prompt from her to do so.

Olga was getting worried; it was only her bravado and what little authority she had left keeping the hoards of monsters under her control. She had to prepare for when the monsters would inevitably revolt against her.

She was broken out of her thoughts when the doors to her chambers were opened, she turned to see Chloe her retainer as well as the leader of the Royal Guard. Chloe wore Elven mail armor that all Royal guard wore, it offered considerable protection whilst not encumbering the wearer as other armors did. Along with the mail she wore black metal plates that protected her arms and legs from harm.

Olga allowed a small smile on her face, she cared for Chloe as if she was her own daughter after rescuing her and other dark elves from human slavery. The thought of it angered the Dark Elf Queen how Celestine could love such vile creatures she did not know. 

“Are you well, your Grace” she was once again broken from her thoughts as Chloe kneeled before her, concern laced her question, Olga was thankful to have such a dutiful retainer and friend, she just wished she could have saved her sooner.

“Rise Chloe” her voice softening just a tad as she continued “You don’t have to bow before me every time we are in the same room” she chided her retainer, she didn’t wish to treat as some higher being she was a Queen wished to serve her people, not the other way around

“If it will please you, your Grace” slowly Chloe rose to eye level with herself, inwardly Olga sighed, it pained her to see Chloe like this, she had always been distant even from her. ‘Damn those humans, damn them all, they will pay for what they did to my people’.

Olga calmed herself, it was not befitting for a Queen to lose her temper. “Now what is it you need Chloe?” she wondered if her messengers got to the other Dark Elf Cities, if so, she would be able to better deal with the monsters should they try something. “The couriers have returned; the Cities have complied with your orders; they are going into lockdown as well as increasing patrols along with monster territory”.

‘This is good, one less thing to worry about’, “Thank you, Chloe”. “I live to serve you your Grace” Olga’s smile turned into a thin line as she dismissed her retainer. She had so much to do with so little time to do it, she sighed as she sat down at her throne and engrossed herself in her thought blocking out anything else for the time being.

* * *

The combined forces of the Black Dogs and Alliance marched towards Garen. Vault was happy his forces outnumbered the Alliance troops five to one when the time came to get rid of them, but he frowned slightly when he looked at what that young bastard of a Marshal talking with proposed at the meeting, and his frown deepened when Celestine accepted it.

*flashback to four hours earlier*

Back at the meeting, The Marshal was talking about something, honestly, Vault could hardly bring himself to care, that was until he heard the word Garen and he suddenly became more interested in what the boy had to say.

“If you would allow us your Holiness, Baron Stadler, Sir Reisinger, and I wish to use an old fort as a base for operations near the Northern wastes, we may be able to assist Vault should he require reinforcements.” The Marshals voice deep and commanding, the voice of a leader. 

‘No damnit’, “I appreciate your thorough planning Marshal, but I and my men can handle anything the wastes throws at us.” Michael just frowned at him as he said this, “That may be the case Vault but we can’t take any risks when it comes to this” the Marshal tuned towards the entire room, “We are talking about potentially ending the thousand-year war and I won’t let it all go to waste because of someone’s Arrogance”

Vault nearly saw red, ‘How dare this little piece of shit’, he calmed himself down, ‘It's not worth it, just amend the plan to account for this’. Another voice spoke up in disagreement with Michael's plan, “Like Vault said he is more than capable of taking Garen without you interfering” it was Maia, ‘she always had my back’ Vault thought with a grin, ‘If only she knew’ his grin widened at that.

“Maia, Michael is right, we can’t afford to take risks with this” it was Alicia who spoke, “I second this” as she said this, she gave the Marshal a small smile, one he returned with a small flush of his face, Vault rolled his eyes at the display, ‘Oh to be young and in love’ he thought distastefully.

“Well, it makes sense to me” the halfing Ruu Ruu stated, “Besides how could I deny Alicia’s boyfriend,” the halfling said while winking at the blushing princess, in retaliation Alicia smacked the halfing upside the head. “Ow, rude” the halfling said while rubbing her head, Alicia did not reply. 

Celestine chuckled at the display, ‘Oh to be young and in love’ she thought, nostalgia guiding her memories. She shook those thoughts out of her head before turning towards the Marshal “How many troops and supplies would you need?” It was Sir Reisinger who answered the question with his smooth voice, “Well your Holiness, we would need 5,000 troops to effectively monitor the area and about a months’ worth of rations, Baron Stadler can provide me with everything else I need for the trip” said Baron nodding in affirmation at the Goddess.

Celestine grimaced as she thought over the number before sighing, “Very well, you have my permission to gather what you need”. Michael grinned “Thank you, your Holiness”

*Flashback end*

Vault will deal with them when the time comes, in fact, the more he thinks about it the wider his grin becomes, if he can pull it off, he could take out the Alliances' highest-ranking Military officers as well as a vast swath of alliance forces. ‘One thing at a time’ he reminded himself. Everything is going his way all thanks to the Gods.

* * *

“So, Alicia huh?” the voice of his mentor and friend Sir Reisinger came in a questioning tone, and his wish for a quiet journey died. “When were you going to tell us hmm?” Konstantin was now elbowing him in the side, as if add to his embarrassment Roland added his two cents, “If only your father was here, to see how his boy is becoming a man” his gravelly voice spreading out among the two.

Michael sighed “Can we not talk about it” but his pleas fell on deaf ears “I call dibs on being groomsman” Konstantin yelled out getting those overhearing the conversation to chuckle at the man's antics, Roland, however, looked off in the distance reminiscing on his younger days, “Oh to be young and in love, one of the purer aspects of life I like to believe”.

Michael sighed and prepared himself, it was going to be a long trip and his peers weren’t going to stop anytime soon. Just as he thought that it couldn’t get worse one of his men decided to speak up, “Oh Marshal do remember to invite us to your Wedding” he saw one of the Calvary men chuckling, and soon more and more joined in making jests at his expense.

“Enough!”, he shouted his face red both from embarrassment and infuriation, he calmed himself “Can we maintain at least a semblance of discipline and not act like school children gossiping, You are the Finest of the Alliance the lot of you, act like it” he chided the men present, said men looked away in embarrassment before turning into the picture of disciplined soldiers. 

He turned his attention forwards; it will be a long journey ahead. And he needed to stay focused. 

* * *

After three days of marching they made it to the castle they would rest at before Vault and his forces will go towards the Black Fortress, by tomorrow at dawn the forces made up of Black Dogs and Alliance soldiers numbering over 3,000 would march to Garen, and ordered by the Goddess Reborn herself to capture Olga Discordia alive so that she may face trial for her evil actions during the thousand-year war.

‘Oh I’ll be sure to capture her alive’ the lecherous thought came from Vault, the chosen champion of Chaos on Eostia, not that any on Eostia would know what Chaos is for they had yet to be exposed to the horrors of the 42nd millennium, but it will come for them, and they will be crushed under its heel, Vault will make sure of this.

His thoughts turned back to the four gods that will see his ambitions through, ‘For Chaos.

* * *

It had been many hours since they left the castle and journeyed to Garen, from the maps they had Henry estimated they would reach the Black Fortress by tomorrow. Vault wondered what the supposed Dark Queen looked like, was she as vile and ugly as the rumors said, or were the whispers correct, they told him of the sheer beauty of the Dark Queen, beauty only rivaled by the Goddess Reincarnate herself. He grinned at the images that popped up in his head of her.

She will be the first of his harem if it were the case, it would be a waste if such beauty if she were to resist. He sighed, it was nearing night and they would have to camp soon. He looked around ‘The Northern wastes’ no wonder it was called that, there was hardly anything here, it was all desolate plains, there may have once been life here, but it’s all gone now.

Vault had never been this far north, there was always a present feeling of Wrongness that persisted in the air, the loose grainy dirt with nothing to be seen for miles. It made Vault uncomfortable, to say the least, but he was the greatest mercenary leader of all time and Future leader of Eostia so he didn’t let any of it get to his head

He just kept his eyes forward eyeing his prize, or at least the direction Henry said it was, but that was neither here nor there as noon shifted into the night, he ordered his men to set up camp.

* * *

He looked over the symbols her Holiness had given him, Four symbols each different from the other, but the one that caught his attention the most was the eight-pointed star, he had no clue as to what they meant or who they represented, but Celestine needed him to find out what they were, for if he could not decipher what they meant no one could, after all, he was the Lord Inquisitor for a reason. Nicholaus had scoured over the libraries in the Churches’ possession, after the hours had turned into days, he still could not find so much as a reference to any of the symbols. He thought back to what the goddess had asked of him.

*Flashback to six days ago*

After the meeting had ended Celestine had requested that I meet with her in her chambers. As he walked towards where the Goddess awaited him, he wondered what she needed of him, ‘was it related to her visions?’ 

No matter what it was he would do whatever she asked of him, as he was her faithful servant ready to stop any threat towards the goddess for that is why the Inquisition was founded, and why he became an Inquisitor.

He stopped his thoughts as he found himself Infront of the doors that led to Celestine’s chambers, he focused himself and entered the door.

“Nicholaus it is good to see you, come to have a seat” her soft voice originating from a table she was seated at a cup of tea in her hand. He did as she wanted and sat down in the seat facing her, “Tea?” she gestured to a pot next to him, he simply shook his head in the negative. “A small smile appeared on her feature before she pulled out a piece of paper and handed it over to him. He looked at the paper seeing four strange symbols and an eight-pointed star.

“Do you recognize any of them?” she asked, he looked them over once again, he had never seen them before. “I’m afraid not your Holiness” he replied in his rough but low voice, Celestine frowned slightly before sighing, “I was afraid you would say that, and please call me Celestine” Nicholaus nodded at her request making a note to do as she requested.

“If I may ask, your… I mean Celestine, do these symbols appear in your visions?”, he winced internally at her scowl, but overall kept his stone-cold exterior on him. She sighed “In a few of them yes, I have only seen them but a few times and for whatever reason, they stick with me, in them, I see bad omens”.

“Cults to old Gods perhaps?” I thought aloud, “Maybe” she then turned to him “Lord Inquisitor, I task you with uncovering what these symbols mean” she commanded of him, “At once your Holiness” and stood up from the chair and quickly bowed before exiting the room

*Flashback end*

As he scoured the libraries, he had sent many agents into the cities and the countryside to look for any cult activities as well as to look out for the symbols the Goddess reborn had shown him. So far all they had all turned up empty-handed, but he had one last option, the catacombs under the city were locked from all others except for high ranking members of the Church and Inquisition, even further down there was a secret kept from all but a select few, a hidden library of forbidden knowledge.

He journeyed down into the catacombs below, the walls of the Catacombs were lined with the skeletons of those who had once lived in the city tens of thousands of years ago, how many lined the walls none knew, the further down he went the more decrepit the catacombs had become blackened with soot and Nicholaus swore he could hear whispers from behind him, He had exited the catacombs and entered the city of the ancients, every glance around reminded him how primitive his people above were when compared to the Ancients that once roamed Eostia, Large Gothic Buildings that seemed many times bigger than any castle and was so impossibly tall and there was so many of the towers they seemed to spread out forever, strange metal carriages that lined the roads of the city, everything here reminded Nicholaus how small he was.

He pushed down the feelings and carried on towards the library that housed what he sought, after walking for many hours he had finally reached the library.

He approached the door that hid the library away, the door was made of some mysterious metal that was impossible to destroy, it resisted everything from explosives to the strongest magicks, it could be opened with a key, a key that was passed from lord inquisitor to lord inquisitor until it was handed to him, he pulled out the key needed to open the door and inserted it into the keyhole.

As the door opened, he was greeted with lines of bookshelves, each contained tomes filled with forbidden knowledge that could only be trusted with a select few, but he and with that, he set off into the room to look for the answers needed.

He was thankful to his predecessors for meticulously organizing the tomes and categorizing them or he may have been here forever. For hours he searched for any books that held answers to what the symbols were and what they represented. He could not tell how much time had passed as he searched and searched, he had almost given up when found it, the tome that held the answers to his questions.

He was skimming the pages of another tome when he saw it, the eight-pointed star. Quickly he took the tome to one of the desks and sat down, he began to read the contents of the tome, with every sentence he read he could feel something change around him, he ignored it as he read the page in front of him.  
Chaos undivided  
For every emotion or action intentional or not it gives power to Chaos, for the Gods of Chaos are made of Emotion, Emotion that has been warped from its original meaning. Where what was once love became debauchery and lust, what was once honor became bloodlust and violence, what was once hope became unpredictability and deceit, what was once life became rot and decay. Chaos is an omnipresent malevolent force bent on the ruination and domination of all things. Beware those who worship the Ruinous powers for they will only bring destruction and death, pain and misery, sickness and plague, abandonment and betrayal, only when you have nothing left for them to take, only then is when they finally end your suffering. 

The gods of Chaos can do no wrong for they do not know what it means.

Slowly he closed the book and took a deep breath, he knew what the eight-pointed star now meant and he dreaded if it had come to Eostia, he had to return to Celestine and tell her of his discovery and find ways to combat this Chaos should is ever surface.

While he walked the Ancient city, he couldn’t shake the feeling that someone was following him, despite him knowing for a fact that no-one else was there, he quickened his pace when he started to hear whispers again. Once he reached the catacombs, he felt relief spread through him as he now away from the dead undercity. He hurried back to the surface tome in hand to show what he had Learned to the Goddess.

*LINE BREAK*

“SHIELDS!” as the order spread out almost all the troops were able to put up their shields protecting themselves from the projectiles coming from the walls, those who were too slow to raise their shields were riddled with arrows.

Slowly the army marched hiding behind the shield wall they had formed, the gathered army crawled their way to the fort arrows constantly streaming from the defenders on top of the wall. Just as they got near the gate of the fortress suddenly opened and out came a horde of monsters ready to kill the sieging forces.

The Alliance and Black dog forces shifted to meet the incoming monsters and fight them off. The monsters barreled into the shield wall which held strong in the face of the horde, the monsters as dimwitted as they are could only smack against the wall as the soldiers behind the thrust their spears into the unarmored flesh of imps, goblins, and orcs alike.

Every monster that had been killed was replaced with two more, but the human soldiers stood strong in the face of the overwhelming odds, spears spilling the blood the monsters slowly pushing them back, when spears broke swords were pulled out, slashing open orc bellies removing the guts of the green skins, and cutting imps and goblins in half leaving their child-size bodies to be trampled underfoot the invading armor.

Those that found themselves too slow to raise their shield back up were pulped by massive clubs or had their abdomen split open by orcish axes. The gaps the dead left open were quickly filled or the entire army would find themselves monster food.

The grunts were not alone however as a shower of arrows rained down on the monsters from Alliance and Black dog archers, The smaller monsters found themselves dying a painful death as the barbed arrows stuck themselves into their bodies leaving them the bleed out to death on the battlefield, the larger monsters bared the worst of the ranged attack arrows found their mark in shoulders mortally wounding the monsters and allowing for the grunts to finish them off, others had their heads pierced the arrows punching into the brains of the monsters killing them almost immediately. 

Once the arrow barraged had stopped the beating of hoofs alerted the footmen of the incoming Calvary led by Both the Dawn Templars and Knights of Iris, their lances skewering a huge swath of the monsters as well as emboldening the footmen to fight harder, and soon the monsters were defeated.

They had no time to celebrate for the next part of the siege came, Men carrying ladders came running towards the wall, whilst being protected by clerics using their holy magicks to ward off the dark elf archers. Once the ladder came down the first to climb up were the Paladins, elite warriors of Inquisition. 

Once on the wall they would have to clear away for the rest of the army, The first paladin on the wall parried a strike from one of the archers and thrust his sword into the dark elf he quickly spun around decapitating a dark elf about to strike him, he wore a brigandine with steel plate protecting his arms and legs and wore a pauldron on his right shoulder and a spaulder on his left shoulder, as well as an angular bascinet with two slits, where his eyes were. “Come, Brothers. FOR THE GODDESS!” his fellow paladins followed him towards their destination, the now-closed gate.

The paladins were the best of the best in the Alliance for few could equal them in combat and these ten today were exemplars of their order, for on their way they had left many a corpse of those who tried to stop them. The paladins were met with both monsters and dark elves that tried to stop their advance, the paladins in response charged those who wished to stop them.

The first paladin on the wall was the one to lead the charge, his sword never stayed in one place as cut down any who stood in him and his brothers’ way. This was Paladin Cyrus, who he was other than a paladin was unimportant, he thrust his greatsword into the chest of an ogre killing it instantly, a dark elf tried to skewer him on its sword, but with a dodge, he evaded the sword and he cut off the elf’s arms with a single swing, he ignored its screams as he turned to a cyclops that blocked his way his brothers finishing off the other enemies.

He charged the cyclops and it charged at him, as it lifted its club to swing at him, he rolled underneath the giant monster, getting behind it, and with a swing of his sword cut off one of the beasts legs at the knee, he didn’t bother watching the beast fall off the wall to its death for there were more enemies to kill, he looked to his sides and found his brothers with him, their weapons caked with blood and gore. He looked back at the enemies of the Alliance in front of them and him alongside his brothers charged.

His sword bit into the torso of a dark elf with a simple pull and his sword was free along with the elf’s innards. An orcish ax came to close for comfort so to correct this problem he swung his sword into the orc's neck leaving it choking to death on its own blood. He parried a strike from a dark elf and his sword cut deep into its shoulder, a kick and his sword were free to spill more blood, with a swing of his sword he decapitated two more orcs and with a quick return swing gutted a dark elf.

Many enemies were charging at him and his brothers, they simply met it head-on. He swung his sword at unprotected flesh cutting the enemy into pieces, his sword thrusted into chests silencing the life in them, he did not remember how much he had killed and he did not care for he had a mission, the battle focus he was in had stemmed and he found himself were the gate control was, he looked around and saw his brothers they much like him were covered in blood, he turned and saw the lever that would open the gate and with a kick the gate lowered allowing the forces outside entry into the Black Fort.

His training took over as he blocked an attack, a dark elf lad barely a man had tried to kill him, with a simple move forward the pommel on his sword broke the lad's nose and with a swing of his sword he cut the lads head down the middle, he did not know why but the fear on the lads face stuck with him, a question for the clerics.

He could not dwell on it for there was a battle to be won, “Come brothers, our mission is not yet over” and with that, they joined the army below.  
*LINE BREAK*  
This was going better than Vault had expected, he thanked Khorne for seeing his men through this battle. He swung his sword bisecting an orc that got to close, the army had now taken the courtyard and were pushing into the hall of the fort, and Vault was at the front leading them, as a commander should. “CHARGE” he bellowed out rushing forth to meet the defenders his men charging along with him, be they black dog or alliance they each reaped a bloody toll on the defenders, the knights especially.

After an hour of fighting they had taken much of the castle, he could see the doors that led to the main chambers, “With me!” almost immediately fifteen other Black Dogs were with him charging across the room towards the two large doors. Vault barreled into the doors and honed instincts from years of fighting told him to dodge out of the way, at that he did, if he didn’t, he would’ve been a pile of ash like the men the followed him.

He looked towards the cause of his now ashen men, and what he saw did not disappoint from what the whispers told him, she is gorgeous, a black and purple dress worn underneath a corset the showed off her curves and bountiful bust, Oh how he will enjoy her.

But those thoughts were for later as he charged the dark Queen rolling and Dodging out of her spells, when he was close enough he swung his sword cutting the Queen's staff in two before pointing the tip of his sword at her throat, “Tell your men to stand down, and no more blood has to be spilled” she just glared at him, a problem that could be fixed later, he sighed “Surrender or all of there deaths will be at your hand”, she glared at him for a moment longer before sighing, “Alright, just… alright” she sounded defeated and as far as Vault was concerned that was a good thing.

He walked behind her sword at her back as they walked into the main hall where the fighting was going on, Olga sighed before shouting out “STAND DOWN” her voice reverberating around the room, the fighting had stopped as the Dark Elves looked at their Queen who ordered their surrender, and slowly they lowered their arms in defeat, they had won this day.

*LINE BREAK*

Cyrus was sparing with one of his brothers, it had been a few hours since their victory and the commander Vault declared a feast would be happening shortly as a means to celebrate, Cyrus did no plan to join them for someone had to keep watch over the prisoners while the others got drunk, Cyrus had yet to talk to one of the Clerics for they were too busy healing the wounded. He sighed and bowed to his brother as he did to him as was customary at the end of a spar.

Cyrus walked back into the castle and he saw that the main hall was being cleaned of all the corpses, the only room that had not seen bloodshed was the throne room the room where the feast would take place. Cyrus ignored it as he made his way to the dungeon, where the Dark Queen and her royal guard were imprisoned. 

As he entered the dungeon, he saw five Black Dogs mocking the Dark Elf prisoners “Not so tough now ain’t ya darkies” the Black Dog presumably the leader of the group mocked, his cronies laughing at the glares they received from the Dark Elves. Cyrus sighed, he had to get these idiots out of here, he walked towards the group which had noticed his arrival and turned to him “Oi bugger off mate” the leader told him as Cyrus was now in front of them, he didn’t bother to reply as he sat down in a chair and pulled out a whetstone.

“Oi dickhead didn’t I tell ya to fuck off” the leader once again told him, Cyrus just unsheathed his greatsword and got to sharpening it with the whetstone, “Ya fucking daft man” the man was now getting infuriated, Cyrus just looked up at the man, “I’m here to relive you,” he told them in an almost bored tone, he just got back to sharpening his sword. Apparently, this was the wrong thing to say as the man looked furious “On who’s orders ya Buckethead bastard!” Cyrus just continued to sharpen his sword ignoring the men in front of him.

Just as the man was about to yell again one of his companions stopped him “It’s not worth it man, besides the feast will start soon” at the mention of the feast the man calmed down considerably before nodding and they all left the dungeon leaving only him and the Dark elves that glared at him, but he ignored them in favor of cleaning both his sword and armor.

After hours of getting the blood off from the battle and making sure there were no cracks in either his sword or armor for all it took was a single crack and everything would crumble, His armor wasn’t spotless that was for sure but it was clean and the same went for his sword. He was fine with how everything was so he just sat there looking at the prisoners in front of him, he heard something, it was steps, not a few but multiple footsteps, it couldn’t be a replacement otherwise that wouldn’t have sent so many.

He stood up and grabbed his sword preparing for the worst should it come. Down came the same man who had mocked him along with twenty other Black Dogs and… two orcs, ‘What?’, one thought settled in his mind ‘traitors’ his grip tightened. The traitors and two orcs spread out trying to surround him as if he would let that happen. “Well, now Buck-“ the man tried to get out a taunt but Cyrus interrupted him by leaping at the man and thrusting his sword through him and with a quick pull turned to the next black dog his sword slitting the man's throat, what was once shock turned into desperation as he tried to breathe.

He dodged a wild ax swing and brought the sword down on the orcs outstretched arms cutting both off, he ignored its scream and turned to his enemies as the rest of the Black dogs tried to swarm him, Cyrus beheaded another black dog before parrying a blow from another splitting the man’s abdomen open, he felt a blow behind him his brigandine absorbed, he spun around and decapitated the black dog the struck him, one of the Black dogs thrusted at him and with a simple riposte he shoved his sword into the man’s gullet.

A kicked the dead traitor off his sword and rolled out of the way of the other orcs club, the black dogs' corpse getting pulped instead of him, quickly he swung his sword in an arc cutting open the orc spilling his guts on the floor, he turned to the remaining dogs and charged them beheading another that failed to react in to, Cyrus gutted two dogs with a single swing of his sword. Only Eleven dogs left he blocked another blow his pommel smashing into the dog’s face before Cyrus decapitated him.

They charged at him and with that Cyrus charged too every swing of his sword cut another Dog in half and his sword getting bloodier with every dog killed until all those that opposed him were dead, He turned to were the Dogs had come from and he heard the sound of combat, “We can help you” He turned to see that it was Olga that was speaking to him, the other Dark Elves looked suppressed at her, “But your grace, he is a Human” a blond Dark elf told her, Olga closed her eyes and sighed “I know that but he is out best chance at getting out of here alive” her eyes never left me as if expecting me to open the cell door.  
He turned back to the sounds of fighting above, he made a decision and grabbed a key off the wall and opened the doors. “let us hurry” he almost ran up the stairs but was stopped, “Wait, I may not currently own it, but this castle still answers to me” Olga told him before turning to a wall and opening it. “Come human” Olga told him the Dark elves already going into the hole. So, with nothing to lose, he followed them.

They emerged in the armory the dark elf soldiers arming themselves while Olga Grabbed a staff. Cyrus peaked out the door and saw the Black Dogs piling corpses, the corpses of Alliance troops, He turned back to see the Dark Elves had finished arming themselves, so he turned back to the dogs and saw there was thirty in total, so with a quick pray to the Goddess he charged, he sword spilling more traitor blood.

Every swing was another corpse that littered the floor, for no matter how many that took up arms against him they all had the same fate, their blood spilled and their guts littering the floor. He turned back the dark elves that were trying to catch up to him, but he paid them no mind for there were enemies the kill.

He kicked open the doors and he saw his brothers fighting off the Dogs by themselves, they had been reduced the only three left standing, the death of his brothers enraged him, and he charged to aid his other brothers.

Any that had got in his way was sliced open he needed to help his brothers, he sliced and thrust his sword killing Dogs and Monsters alike, but for every, he killed more showed up, he was getting overwhelmed, but he would die fighting like his brothers, and that got close to him were either beheaded or sliced open shoulder to hip.

He turned to see his brothers and his heart was filled with grief as saw that they had been slain, grief turned into anger towards his enemies, he would not die this day, he will carry on the legacy of his brothers, so he fought and with every swing of his sword another dog fell at his hand, none dared get closer to him for fear they will die as well, so he came to them instead.

He charged sword cutting into any the got into his way, blood spilled, and limbs flew from bodies as he carved his way out of the enemies, he saw the dark elves firing arrows at their shared enemy. He ran towards them “What the hell were you thinking you stupid human” the Blond Elf yelled at him, but he ignored her in favor of cutting down another monster, He turned towards Olga, “We’re going to have to fight our way through” she looked around at her guard, before nodding at him “Lead the way human” Olga then summoned a bolt of lightning and threw it at the horde creating an opening.

The unlikely allies ran through the opening cutting down or shooting any the got in their way. They kept running but they were met with another horde waiting for them, Almost all of the dark elves unsheathed their swords except Olga and the blond one, “Lady Chloe, human take Lady Olga and run, we will hold them off for as long as we can”. The Blonde elf now named Chloe nodded before the trio ran off as the remaining royal guard protected their Queen for the last time.

The trio found themselves at an opening that led to the courtyard and their escape, so they ran off into the dead forest near the castle away from the Black Dogs and their Monstrous Allies. After a while they had stopped running to gather their breath, Cyrus looked back at the castle and sighed, they had a long way to go before they made it into Alliance land.

* * *

It had been almost three days since Vault and his party left to Garen, and there has been no contact as of yet, Michael was starting to get worried truth to be told, he had given vault three magic flares that could be seen for miles, it meant one of two things, they didn’t need any help or the entire party was dead. Michael hoped it was the former.

His hopes were answered as a messenger announced the arrival of the black dogs, but strangely no Alliance forces, he would have to ask Vault later. But for now, they will be welcomed back as heroes.

He sat down in between Baron Stadler and Sir Reisinger as we waited for Vault to come in. “Maybe we should have gotten him a plus-sized mug,” Konstantin thought aloud, “After all, he always smells like ale” Baron Stadler chuckled a little to himself.

Just as Konstantin fished the jest Vault walked through the doors into the balcony along with three dozen men. “Hello, boys, nice to meet ya” A grin placed on Vault's face as he said this. “Now you may be wondering why the entourage, well you’ll find out soon” His grin turned downright malicious while looking at them, Michael put his hand on the hilt of his sword, and Baron Stadler and Sir Reisinger both looked tense. Just as Michael was going to ask Vault what he meant he heard screaming outside, he looked out the Balcony of the three-story building and he saw his men getting cut down by black dogs and monsters of all kinds.

All three of them stood up and unsheathed their swords, stepping back slightly as more black dogs came from behind Vault all of them with blood lust on their faces. They found their backs against the railing of the balcony, in Michael's mind there were two endings to this they fight, and they die, or the surrender and die.

Michael chose the former just to spite Vault that grinning asshole, “Well gentlemen, I couldn’t pick finer company to fight alongside with” Michael felt a calmness enter him, he will die on his feet like his grandfather before him. As he readied to fight, Baron Stadler and Sir Reisinger shared a look at each other and nodded.

Faster than he could react his two mentors push him off the balcony and he fell onto the grass below, he felt pain spread through his body, but he pushed himself up, as he stood up he heard the voice of Baron Stadler call out to “Run Michael, tell the Alliance of Vaults betrayal!”, He looked up at the Balcony he heard fighting up there and was not going to abandon his friends, “No I will get up there we can tell them together”, he knew it was a false hope but he didn’t care he will cut down an army if he has to, “Don’t be foolish boy RUN!” it was the voice of Sir Reisinger, he felt tears well up in his eyes as he turned as ran towards the stables. 

He took out his anger on any black dog that came his way, cutting open any that stood on his way, ‘I swear to both of you, I will tell all of your bravery’. The nearer he got to the stables the more Black Dogs appeared, it did not matter to him as his sword became slick with blood both human and otherwise.

As he entered the stable, he found his horse, poor girl had been frightened by the sounds of battle, he hooked on her saddle, he turned to Konstantin’s and Roland’s horses he opened the doors to their pens and released them. He jumped onto his steed and took off as fast as he could, he had the get to Feoh the closest of the Cities.

He pushed his horse to ride as fast as it could not stopping for anything, not even when he felt something embed itself in his shoulder, he bit back a grunt and kept riding.

He kept his horse going even when he could no longer see the castle behind him, he pushed the steed to keep going even as he felt his blood leaking down his back, even as noon turned into the night he kept the steed going for as long as she could.

He felt lightheaded and his mount was getting exhausted, but he pleaded with her keep going even as the moon hung high in the sky, kept her going. His morale rose when he saw it, the city of Feoh. “Almost there girl, just a little bit longer ok” slowly he felt his mount go slower and slower, it did not matter for they had made it, he slowly lost conciseness as he saw multiple people run towards him. Just as someone made it to him, he fell unconscious.

* * *

Vault frowned as he looked in the direction where the Marshal had run off, it didn’t matter in the grand scale of things, but he would have liked it if they kept the element of surprise. You couldn’t win everything, his thought turned especially bitter at the escape of Olga she would have made a damn fine breeding material.

His thought turned to the other black dog companies, he had received messengers that they had been converted, this was good, he sent them back with the message that all companies were to march north to Garen, His grin returned as right now 20,000 black Dogs were making their way here.

And with the capture of this fort nothing would impede their raids of the villages in the area, speaking of which he can see a plume of smoke right now, his grin widened at the thought of the bitches and loot the party will bring back. His grin turned into confusion as he heard… ‘Thunder?’ he didn’t see a storm but he just assumed there was one somewhere nearby, after all, what else could it be.

* * *

James felt pain rack his body as the Black Dogs kicked at him, no matter what he did they would kick him again. It only stopped when they hoisted him up and forced his eyes open. He saw the Village his great grandfather help build-up being reduced to rubble.

Any of the men the fought back were brutally killed or forced to watch as the Black dogs violate their wives and children. ‘By the goddess no’ his eyes widened as an orc pinned down his little girl Sophia, she was crying, “Please no” he pleaded, but it fell on deaf ears, “Please she’s all I have please” his pleading earned him a knee to the stomach. “D-daddy” she was sobbing as I looked on in abject horror as the orc pulled out its member “Please she’s only nine please!” once again he was kneed in the stomach.

He prayed to any deity, any at all to save his daughter and his people from a terrible fate, and it seemed that one answered. 

It had started thundering but there was no storm, the thundering continued for what felt like ages until it stopped, everyone was confused as to what was happening, many thought that the world was ending. Just as the Black Dogs were about to continue their pillage, large metal boxes rained from the sky dropping onto the black dogs crushing them and launching those that were nearby, other metal boxes were dropped on the empty houses destroying them completely.

One of the metal boxes dropped at the entrance of the village giving James clear a view of it. Then the box started to open the same happening across the village. James saw what stepped out the box, it was a giant with golden gleaming armor worn underneath a pair of maroon robes. The giant's golden helm shaped like a skull, on its armor there were holy seals located on each pauldron, in one hand it Carried a giant maul shaped like a skull, in the other in carried a strange metal box the reminded James of a crossbow for some reason.

Then it spoke its attention focused on the black dogs, **“You shall die this day Heretics!”**


End file.
